. >> why do you think the polling though showed overwhelmingly the american people, our polls, the cbs poll, ours by three to one showed that the president lost and romney won. >> well, you know what the history is here of the first debate against an incumbent president, five out of the last six times the challenger was perceived as winning. the first time you're on stage next to the president of the united states it adds stature. we haven't seen any fundamental shift in the dynamic of this race. it's been close and competitive for a year and a half. it will be won in key states. that's where the president is today in denver, in wisconsin, making his case about the economic choice in this election. >> i thought romney was pretty effective in turning around what could have been a liability into an asset last night on the whole issue of health care reform. listen to this. watch this. >> i like the way we did it in massachusetts. i liked the fact that in my state we had republicans and democrats come together and work together. what you did instead was to push through a plan without a sin